England Needs an Escape Plan

The last time England and India faced each other in Test cricket in the summer of 2011, the world No.1 ranking was on the line and an epic struggle was anticipated. It didn't turn out that way: England recorded a 4-0 sweep in one of the most unexpectedly one-sided series in years.

But as the two nations prepare to contest another four-game series in India next month, this time it's England that appears headed for a whitewash. For reasons that range from an unsettled lineup to its perpetual struggles against spin bowling,...